(19)

(11)

EP 1 401 608 A1

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 31.03.2004 Bulletin 2004/14 (21) Application number: 02782493.7 (22) Date of filing: 02.07.2002

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: B23K 9/20 (86) International application number: PCT/US2002/021079 (87) International publication number: WO 2003/004209 (16.01.2003 Gazette 2003/03)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK RO SI (30) Priority: 04.07.2001 JP 2001203570 (71) Applicant: Newfrey LLC Newark,Delaware 19711 (US)	(72) Inventor: SAKODA, Kanji,c/o Pop Rivet Fastener K.K. Toyohashi-shi,Aichi-ken (JP) (74) Representative: Haar, Lucas H., Dipl.-Ing. et al Patentanwälte Haar & Schwarz-Haar,Lessingstrasse 3 61231 Bad Nauheim 61231 Bad Nauheim (DE)